Almost There
by Feran-Sensei
Summary: Misaki goes to visit his brother Takahiro over his break, but this time, he isn't coming back.


Just something I wrote the other day when I was feeling a bit down. The summary's not super great, but I wrote the first sentence that came to mind and I couldn't bring myself to change it.

 _Brrring. Brrring. Brrr- Click_

"Moshi-Moshi, Usami Akihiko desu." Silence filled the maisonette as the other end of the line stayed dead.

"Hello?" Akihiko pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and snuffed it in the nearby panda shaped ashtray and frowned. After a few more moments of quiet, Usami moved the phone away from his ear and made to place it back on the receiver.

"Akihiko?" The muffled voice that came from the phone was just enough to prevent him from hanging up.

"It's me...Takahiro."

"Oh, Takahiro! You didn't answer, I was about to end the call." With a light hearted grin, Akihiko moved the phone to the other ear. It had been some time since his old friend's last call, and Akihiko was quite surprised to hear from his friend so suddenly. However, despite the usual warmth that filled him when Takahiro called, Akihiko felt a bit unsettled as neither of them spoke. Some time passed before Usami broke the silence.

"...Well then, uhh...how's Misaki?" Akihiko asked trying to make conversation while keeping his usual cool demeanor. In truth, he felt as if his heart were about to burst out of his chest. It had been about a week since Misaki had left the large space of Akihiko's condo and went to stay with his brother. The college student was currently on break, and Akihiko was rather upset when Takahiro _insisted_ that Misaki spend some time at home. Usami knows that the time Misaki spends with his older brother is not a simple thing to be disregarded, but he was rather looking forward to spending some _quality time_ with his lover.

"Takahiro..?" The more time spent on the phone, the more awkward the conversation got. Takahiro didn't say anything.

"What is it, Takahiro? What's wrong?" With a frown and the crease increasing between his brows, Akihiko pulled out another cigarette and stuck it between his teeth.

"Misaki hasn't called me recently...Did something happen?" A slight strangled noise, like a held back whimper, sounded on the other end of the line as Usami pulled out his lighter.

"M-Misaki...he…" Akihiko froze; his mind shutting down completely.

"Takahiro, what happened to Misaki?"

? ﾟﾐﾻ?

A dark ominous gloom lingered over it all, the shadows tossing and turning within the night just like the author himself. Nothing seemed right, nothing _was_ right. It was all wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to _his_ Misaki.

A sudden tear slid down his cheek, as Akihiko pulled the blankets closer to his face and inhaled. He had never really bothered sleeping upstairs, always preferring to use the master bedroom over anything else. This room had never been used for anything, but now it belonged to Misaki, and Akihiko knew that it always would. Nothing would change that. Not Sumi, not Haruhiko, not Isaka, not Ijuuin…

 _Not cancer._

"Takahiro, What happened to Misaki?" A vice like grip took hold of Usami's chest, practically choking him. His unlit cigarette was discarded on the floor, all of his attention focused on Takahiro's almost silent weeps as he held the phone with both hands.

"I-I-we…..Akihiko, I didn't even realize it was so bad…"

"Takahiro," Akihiko's grip on the phone tightened. "Where is Misaki?"

"...but he said he couldn't breathe so I-I…..I didn't…"

"Where is he? Where is Misaki!?"

And then once again silence.

His heart was pounding so forcefully against his chest that he could feel it in his brain, and it muddled his thoughts. Why? Why was this happening? Akihiko's hand clutched his tie in a desperate attempt to keep himself attached to reality.

"...The hospital." Came the whispered reply, breathy and sad; detached and devoid of hope.

"...He's had lung cancer for some time now…"

"..."

 _Misaki…_

"Akihiko….I-I'm sorry."

 _Misaki…_

" _Akihiko…?"_

He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm going there now."

"No! Akihiko, you can't!"

"You can't stop me Takahiro! I'm hanging-"

"Misaki wouldn't want you to see him like that!" Akihiko stopped suddenly, a burning sensation prickling at the corners of his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Usami growled.

"...W-When Misaki was diagnosed, I felt as though my heart was ripped from my chest." Takahiro choked on his words as he continued. "When we lost our parents, I swore to myself and to Misaki that I'd protect him….but I couldn't even do that, and now I'm going to lose him too." At the sounds of Takahiro weeping, the tears that threatened to spill over in Usami's eyes spilled out over his cheeks as well. He made not a sound.

"...When they let me and Nanami see him, he told me that he had something very important that he'd been hiding from me. I was so confused. And not just because he said that, but because I couldn't understand why he'd always seem so down when he'd come to visit, or why you both were desperately trying to keep him at your house." Takahiro sniffled slightly, and he laughed nervously. "I think I get it now though….Akihiko, Misaki told me that you've been in a relationship with him since I sent him to your house to study."

Akihiko's eyes widened and he could feel a sickening bubbly feeling welling up inside him. Of course he was glad that Misaki finally had the courage to tell his brother; Takahiro deserved to know, but at what price does not living in fear of discovery come? The cost of Misaki's life? If it meant that Misaki could always be safe, then Akihiko would take the life of constant fear, secrets, and risk over this.

"I don't quite get it, but I always thought to myself that I'd be alright with anything as long as Misaki was happy. But Akihiko, I don't think you should go visit Misaki in the hospital." And before he could reply, Takahiro ended the call.

? ﾟﾐﾻ?

The pale sun hauled itself over the horizon, it's golden face obscured by dark gray clouds. A light drizzle fell from the sky, staining everything that it touched. The world seemed dead.

Akihiko opened his eyes groggily, the usual cranky feeling he has in the morning somehow not making itself known. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought he smelled the delicious scent of eggs wafting in from the kitchen, but he knows that if he were to get up, the kitchen would be empty. And Misaki would not be waiting for him. Not even bothering to blink, Akihiko stared up at the emptiness of space between him and the opposite wall. He lie still, almost wishing that this were all just a dream.

' _I don't think you should go visit Misaki in the hospital.'_

At the remembrance of the cold-hearted words, Akihiko shuttered, snuggling himself deeper into the blankets. Of course he was going to visit Misaki anyway, but he still couldn't wrap his head around all of this. Takahiro has always been a kindhearted friend, so it surprised Usami that he would say something like that, not to mention the fact that he hung up on him for the first time.

With a sigh to try to dispel his dueling thoughts, Akihiko pulled the blankets aside gently and stood. He hadn't even bothered to do anything after his call with Takahiro, so he was still dressed in his slacks and tie. His dress shirt was all wrinkled and disheveled, and the tie was wrapped around the wrong way.

Picking up the blanket on Misaki's bed as if it were some precious gem, Usami folded it carefully before straightening the comforter, pillows, and putting it all back the way it was before he had slept in it. I was as if Misaki never left.

"For when Misaki comes home…" He mumbled and made his way out of the room, heading downstairs. As he made his way into the main room, straightening his attire as he walked down the stairs, Akihiko checked the clock. It was almost noon.

 _Damn,_ He thought, _I can't believe I slept this late._

His original plan was to, of course, visit Misaki extremely early in the morning, but when actually stopped to think about it, he realized that the hospital's visiting hours probably wouldn't be that early anyway…

Throwing on his coat, not even bothering to brush his teeth, Akihiko stepped out into the genkan and slipped on his shoes. Without even caring to shut the door behind him, Akihiko set out for the car park.

? ﾟﾐﾻ?

The humming of the car's engine did nothing to calm Usami's nerves as he neared the hospital. An unlit cigarette in the corner of his mouth and a trench between his brows, Akihiko pulled into the hospital parklot. Throwing it into park, he quickly got out of the silver car and walked briskly towards the door. The sliding glass doors made way at the sight of him, the clicking of his dress heels against the white tile floor warning the building that he was present. The lady at the front desk looked up at him as he came closer.

"What do you need, sweetheart?" She asked with an all too friendly smile for someone working at a hospital.

"Umm, yeah. I came to visit Misaki Takahashi…" The name tasted almost bitter on his tongue, leaving him with a slight empty feeling; as if every time he passed out Misaki's name, he himself had less of the boy, and so less of Misaki's love stayed with him.

 _Stop it, Akihiko. Misaki is fine. We just got let him get checked out to make sure everything's good, then we can get in the car and go ho-_

"Misaki...Takahashi, did you say?" The woman asked, a frown on her face. Akihiko snapped out of his daze.

"Uhh yeah…" As if on cue, the ladies face smoothed over, the previous frown lines replaced by other, more somber ones.

"Please excuse me for just a moment." A sudden icy grip of fear shot through him as she stood from her seat and disappeared into a back room.

 _She's just checking the room number, right? Maybe there was some kind of mix up with the rooms….b-but couldn't she have just check on her computer…? What if- No, no, It's fine. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts…_

In a desperate attempt to distract his mind while he waited for her return, Akihiko pulled out his cellphone to check the time, noticing that he had six unread messages from Aikawa-san and another unread email…..from Misaki.

His heart skipped a beat as he opened the message to read it's contents.

 _To: Usami Akihiko_

 _Cc: Misaki Takahashi_

* * *

 _Hey, Usagi-san. Sorry I haven't called you in a while….and sorry that I didn't get to tell you in person about this whole deal. Nii-chan said he'd already told you on the phone last night, even though I told him not to. You'd better not be worrying about me! I mean it, I'm fine! And don't you dare even get close to the stove while I'm gone!_

… _.Umm and, Usagi-san. I was wondering if you could…..come visit tomorrow. I haven't been here long, but I don't like it and I'm kinda….lonely. It's been awhile since I've seen you. The Nurse told me visiting hours were from 10am to 2:30pm if you do decide to come…_

 _I know it'll only cause you trouble, so if you don't want to, I get that. Sorry for asking..._

Misaki Takahashi

A wide grin formed on Akihiko's face as he marked the e-mail as _read_ and checked the time.

It was only half passed one, so he should have enough time, even though an hour isn't nearly long enough, but it will have to do.

Closing his phone and slipping it back into his pocket, Usami looked up at the lady who had reentered the room. Behind her, a tall man that was clearly a doctor with black hair and a face that Akihiko recognized, stood. Both of them held a look of dread, the man more so that the woman.

"Usami-san," The man spoke quietly. Akihiko's heart dropped.

"...No…"

"I'm very sorry…"

"...No, no, no…"

"Takahashi-sama passed….just before you got here. His time of death is 1:22pm." The man hung his head low out of sorrow and respect, but Akihiko just stared.

The same ominous silence that he experience on the phone hung over the trio.

"...You're lying…"He whispered, his lungs refusing to take in enough oxygen.

"You're lying." He spoke slightly louder, the desperation in his voice sharper than knives, and harder than stone.

"Usami-san…" Akihiko sank to the floor, his head hung low, his eyes shaded and wide; tears spilling over from their pathetic useless boundaries. If only he'd been sooner. If only he hadn't stressed himself and stayed up all night, then maybe he could have been here on time.

 _Eight minutes….Eight damn minutes._

Akihiko's teeth clenched, his hands coming up to grip forcefully at his hair, tears streaming non-stop down his face.

He let out an agonizing cry as he tucked into himself, wishing…that this were all just a dream, and when he wakes up…

He's already almost there.

Thank you one thousand times over for reading. I know it wasn't super great, but having any of you read it to the end and pushing through all the little typos and what not...It really means a lot to me. I'd like to see what you all think, but you don't have to reply if you don't wanna...It would warm my heart a bit though. I hope you all have a very wonderful Saint Valentines Day filled with the love and comfort of those who are close to you.

Keep your friends close and your family in your heart always.

Love,

Sensei


End file.
